Airplane tank



Aug. 22, 19.44.

c. e. FOGLE. 2,356,155

AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sepf. 15, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 if V I 5 A gm ' 0776 INIVENTOR. Q

BY v @aj 6 c. G. FOGLE 2,356,155 AIRPLANE TANK Filedse t. 15, 1941 10Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1944.

B Y E N R m A [6 INVENTOR.

s 1 (Yayzwz 5y C. G. FOGLE Aug. 22, 1944.

AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sept. 15, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 wnwmmw Raw QNNATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1944. v c. G. FOGLE AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sept. 15,1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 flay/017 INVENITOR.

BY I mymva ATTORNEYS 1944- c. G. FOGLE AIRPLANE TANK Filed Se t. 15,1941 10 SheetsSheet 6 m m m w.

' 'xajmraz C. G. FOGLE AIRPLANE TANK Aug. 22, 1944.

Filed Sept. 15, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

ATTD R N EYB Aug. 22, 1944. c. G. FOGLE- 2,355,155

. AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sept. 15, 1941 7 1o Sheets-Sheet a I 7ill/71111111111111! I INVEAkTOR.

1944. c. G. FOGLE 3 1 I AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sept. 15, 1941 10Sheets-Sheet 9 I \\\ll I Aug. 22,

C. G. FOGLE Aug. 22, 1944.

AIRPLANE TANK Filed Sept. 15, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR.

flay/02'? 515/,

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Patented Aug. 22, 1944 wa S '7 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination airplane and tank.

An objectv of my invention, isv to provide an armored car or tank and anairplane structure for incorporating the tank in a fighting ortransportationairplane, in which a novel lift and turntable structure isincorporated in the plane for loading and unloading, the tank as wellas. to facilitate rotary movement of the tank when projected'to aposition outside the plane,. as when the tank is being employed forfiring purposes. Means are provided whereby the tank may be releasedwhile in the air and dropped by parachute, and in which the tank may bedetached from the airplane on the ground and employed as aself-contained and maneuverable armored car.

Inthe accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevational view of a tank and the tank loading orunloading facilities incorporated in the airplane;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the tank and the structure ofFigure 1; v

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the turntable mechanism;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a door structure incorporated in theairplane through which the tank may be loaded and unloaded;

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the turntable structure;

Figure '7 isa bottom plan View of the frame structure incorporated inthe airplane for accommodating the tank and its manipulating mechanism;

Figure 8 is a side view of the structure illustrated in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an end View;

Figure 10- is a side elevational view of a tank with a portion brokenaway for the sake of illustration and illustrating a portion of thereleasing means through the medium of which the tank operator mayrelease the tan-k from the airplane from a position inside the tank;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the tank;

Figure 12 is a sectional viewtaken along the line |2 l-2 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the tank illustratingthe turntable control operable from a position inside the tank.

Figure 14 is a, diagrammatic View illustrating, the tank suspended froma parachute;

Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the manner. inwhich the rip cord of the parachute is accessible from a position insidethe tank;

Figure 16 is an i-nsideface View of the rip structure of the tankillustrating a parachute release;

Figure 17 is an end View of a parachute eye releasing tool; and

Figure 18 is a side view. of the releasing tool.

Inthe embodiment selected for illustration, I make use of a framestructure. 20 which is incorporated in the fuselage of an airplane, aportion of the fuselage being indicated at 22. Upon the base structureof the frame 29 is mounted two base castings 24 made secure by volts 28.To each casting 24 is secured two vertical guide rods 28, the rods ineach pair being arranged in parallelism: one with the other. Sockets 30are secured to the upper structure of the frame 28 for supporting theupper ends Of the guide rods 22%. A yoke 32- is slidably connected witheach pair of guide rods 28, and each yoke includes a hub 35 threadedlyconnected with a vertical screw 36. The lower ends of the, screws 36 arerotatably journaled in bearings 38 on the castings 24 while the. upperends of the screws are rotatably journaled in bearing 40- carriedbybrackets 52 welded to the channels 44 of the frame 28.

Each screw 36 has a worm gearls-keyed thereto near its upper end, seeFigure3, and worms 48 keyed to a, drive shaft 50, see Figure 2; meshwith the worm gears 46, the drive shaft 58 being rotatably journaled inthe brackets 42. Figure 3 illustrates a reversible motor 52 connectedwith the drive sha-ftil'i and mounted on the frame 29. Thus rotation ofthe drive shaft 50 imparts rotary motion to the screws 36 for raising orlowering the yokes 32, depending upon the direction of rotation of thedrive shaft.

Figures 3 and 6 illustrate a. supporting bar 54 connected with the twoyokes 32 and supporting a turntable structure 58. This turntablestructure comprises a large circular plate 58 fixedly secured to the bar54 by bolts 68 extending through spacers 62, located between the bar 54and the plate 58s To the plate 58 is fixedly secured at large bevel.gear 64, as by bolts 66. A

bevel pinion 68 meshes with the bevel gear-64 and is, keyed to a shaft.in supported ina bearing 12 on a rotary plate Hi.

The rotary plate 14 is provided with an annular flange l6 welded to anannular flange l3 having an. inturned flange coacting with the plate 58to provide straw for ball bearings 82.

Centrally of. the plate 14 is located a hub 84 through which extends a.shaft 86 having a flange 88 coacting with. the hub to provide a race forball bearings 80. A threaded shank'92 is provided on the shaft 86 and isextended through a bore in the bevel gear 64 and the plate 58 to befixedly secured in position through the nut' 94.

Depending from the plate 14 are two internally threaded tubes 96 boltedto the plate at 98. A vertical shaft I is threaded into each tube 96 andis fixedly secured in the desired position by a lock nut I82 engagingthe end of its respective tube 96. Shafts I00 are preferably tubular andeach is provided with a housing I04 at its lower end. A tubular pin I06is secured to. each housing I04 and provided with a. circumferen tialflange I08. A shaft I I2 extends through one of the shafts I00 and isprovided with a bevel gear H4 at its upper end and in mesh witha bevelgear II6 keyed to the shaft 10. A bevel. gear H8 is splined to the shaftII2 for rotation through the medium of a lever I82 inside the tank.

When in the airplane, as when being transported from place to place, thetank is latched to the turntable structure. After landing the airplane,the tank may be lowered to a position on the ground and then unlatchedfrom the turntable structure, at which time the tank is free from theairplane and. may be operated as an independent unit. The tank will, ofcourse, be provided with a suitable engine drive, which forms no part ofthe present invention.

In addition, the tank may be projected from 4 the airplane andmanipulated through the meditherewith but movable longitudinallythereon,

The bevel gear H8 is located inside the housing I84 associated with theshaft I I2 and meshes with a bevel gear I carried by a shaft I22rotatable in one of the hollow pins I06. An opening I24 is provided inthe end plate I 26 of the one housing I84 for accommodating theshaft II2. The 'shaft I22 imparts rotary motion toethe shaft II2 which in turnimparts rotary motion to the shaft 10 so that the plate 14 is rotatedabout the axis of the shaft 86.

A tank or armored car I28 is detachably connected with the pins I06.Figure l0-illustrates one of the connection means for one pin I06. Theseconnection means are identical in construction and operation so that thedescription of one will apply to both. A bell crank I30 is locatedexteriorly of the tank I28 and-is pivotally connected to its side wallI32 by a. bolt I34. The arm I36 of the bell crank is provided with a pinI38 having hook engagement with a hook I40 formed at the lower end of abar I42 pivotedintermediate its ends at I44 on a plate I46 adjustablymounted on a T rib I48 attached to the sidewall I32. In Figures 12, and13, the plate I46 is provided with flanges I50 slidably engaging the Trib I48 and fixedly securable thereto by a setscrew I52. 7

In Figures 10, 12 and 13, a curvedarrn I54 is pivotally connected at I56with the plate I46, the latter being provided with a curvature I58coacting with the curvatur I68 on the arm I54 to provide an opening I62for receiving theend of one of the pins I06 extending beyond its .fiangeI 08. The free end of the arm, I54 is provided with a pin I64 receivablein a shallow hook I66 at the end of the bar I42 opposite the hook, I40.The arm I54 is yieldingly biased to the position of, Figure 10 by a leafspring I68 secured at I10 to one edge of the plate 142.

With the bell crank I30 positioned as shown in Figure 10, thepin I38 isconnected with the hook I40'to restrain the bar I42 from pivotalmovement about the axis of the pivot I44. Thus the arm I 54 is firmlylatched in the position shown so as to, provide a closed loop or bearinghaving connection with the pin I06. Means for holding thebell crankI30in the position of Figure 10 comprises a link I12 connected at oneend with the arm I14 of thebell crank and at its other end with an armI16 keyed to a shaft I18 rotatably journaled in the side walls I32. Aturn buckle I80 is interposed in the link I12 for the purpose ofsecuring precise adjustment thereof. The arm I54 may be unlatched fromthe shallow hook I66 through rotation of the shaft I18, as fromaposition inside the tank I28 um of the turntable structure for firingpurposes. The tank is provided with a .gun turret I84 which forms thesubject matter of my application for patent on Gun turret, filed of evendate herewith. Suffice it to say that the front wall I86 is providedwith an opening I88 for accommodating the gun I90, which opening iscovered by a movable shield I92;

In manipulating the tank when used for firing purposes and attached tothe airplane the turntable structure is actuated from a position insidethe tank through the medium ofa crank I93, see Figure 13. This crank isprovided with a square end I94'fitting ina correspondingly shaped socketI96 formed axially in the shaft I22, this shaft being restrained fromrelative axial movement in the pin I06 by a key I98 projecting into agroove 200 in the shaft. The crank I93 is rotatably guided in a sleeve202 extending through an opening 204 in one of the side walls I32. Thebore in the pin I06 is internally threaded for connection with thethreaded end 206 on the sleeve 202, and a flange 208 is provided on thesleeve 202 for engagement with the end of the pin I06 when the sleeve isthreaded home. A crank 2I0 is connected with the sleeve 282 so that thelatter may be unthreaded from the pin I06 from a position inside thetank. Between the wall I32 and the plate 2J2 to which the crank 2I0 isconnected is interposed a compression spring 2I4 which restrains thecrank structure from accidental rotation. Thus the sleeve 202 may bedisconnected from the pin I06 when the tank I28 is to be released fromthe airplane. V

Figure 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of two doors 2I6 mounted on theframe 20 and through which the tank I28 may be projected when the doorsare moved to open positions. The two doors are slidably mounted in acommon plane in the frame 20, as in grooves 2I8.' Each'door 2I6 isoperatively connected with one of the screws 36. Since the operatingconnections are identical in construction and operation, the'descriptionof one will apply to both. In Figure 5, the door 2I6 has a bar 220fixedly secured thereto and provided with a right angular arm 222fixedly secured to a sleeve 224 adapted for threaded connection with ascrew '22'6 lying underneath the-floor 228 and in parallelism with theplane of movement of the door 2I6.

The screw 226 is provided with unthreaded shaft portions '230 and 232,which portions are rotatably supported in bearings 234 secured to thefloor 228. A bevel gear 236 is fixedly secured to the shaft 230 andmeshes with a gear 238 fixedly secured to the screw 36. A collar 240 issecured to the screw 36 andengagesthe bearing 38 to support the screwand its load.

Brackets 242 and 244 are attached to the floor 228, the bracket 242rotatably supporting a disk 246 and the bracket 244'rotatably'supporting a disk 258. A rigid link 250 is pivotally connected at" 252with the disk 266 and at 254 with-the disk 248 A pawl 256 on the disk248 extends beyond the peripheral surface thereof and lies above thegroove H8 in the closed position of the door 216. To the disk 245 ispivotally connected the lower end of an upright bar 258, as at 269, thisbar being provided with a pawl 26?. lying in the path of the yoke 32',during its downward movement only, sliding on the guide rods 28associated with the screw 36. In Figure the two upright bars 258 arepivotally connected at their upper ends with disks 254, as at 256'. Thebrackets 42 are provided with arms 268 to which the'respective disks 264are rotatably connected, as at 21c. Each bar 258 is alsoprovidedwith anupper pawl 212 also lying in the path of the respective yokes 32 duringupward movement of the-yokes 32.

The bars 258 are so pivotally connected with their respective disks 2'36and 254 as to lie in converging relationship downwardly when the yokes3'2 descend so that the bars are moved downwardly only whentheyokes 32engage the pawls 282. Similarly, downward movement of .j

the bars 258 brings the bars into converging relationship upwardly so asto bring the pawls 272 into the paths of the two yokes 32 as the yokestravel upwardly on the screws 3%.

In Figure 5, the door 255 is in its closed position and the sleeve 2 24encircles the shaft 239. As the yokes 32 move downwardly, as when thetank I28 is to be projected to a positionoutside the airplane, rotationof the screw 225' brings the sleeve 224 into threaded connectiontherewith, since a compression spring 2M is interposed between thesleeve and the gear 236. As the sleeve 224 moves to the right along thescrew 226 for bringing the door 2H6 to its full open position, downwardmovement of the bar 258, when engaged by its respective yoke 32, rotatesthe disk 268 in a counter-clockwise rotation for imparting similarrotation to the disk 248. The

bar 229 is provided with an arm 279 which takes w a position to theright of the pawl 256 so as to positively latch the door in its openposition. Rotary motion is imparted to the disk 248 after the arm 216 isin its extreme position from that shown in Figure 5, At this time thesleeve-224 is advanced onto the shaft 232 so as to discon tinue itsadvancing movement toward the right. A compression spring 278 is mountedon the shaft 232 and is engageable by the sleeve 224. This spring isinterposed between a washer 280 sliclable on the shaft 232 and one ofthe bearings 234. A similar washer 282 is provided on the shaft 230.

In the same way, elevation of the tank l28 to a position inside theairplane brings the yokes 32 into engagement with the pawls 212 at sucha time as to preclude unlatching of the doors before the tank is clearthereof. The axis of the pivot 252, see Figure 5, is preferably locatedso as to lie above the axis of the disk 246 in the door latchingposition of the pawl 25%.

Figure 14 illustrates the tank I 28 connected with a parachute 284. Theshroud lines 286 are connected with a ring 288 having a tubular neck 298provided with a flange 292. The top wall 294 of the tank is providedwith a bore 296 through which the shaft part 298 of the neck 290 isprojected. A threaded shank 393 is provided at the end of the shaft 298for connection with a nut 392 which clamps a latch bar 386 between thenut and end 305 of the shaft.

'A slot 308 is provided. in. the top wall 294 through: which the latchbar 3042 may be pro- ,iiected when brought into registration with theslot;- Two pins; 342 are secured to the top wall 294- and are receivablein recesses 354 in the latch bar: when rotated in one direction to aposition substantially at right angles tothe slot 393 After making aparachute landing, the parachute may be released from the tank I28 froma position inside the latter through rotation ofthe latch: bar 304- intoregistration with the 810F305.- Such rotationmay be accomplished by atool 3E6 having fingers 31'8 arranged to straddlethe latch bar 394 sothat the lattermay' be rotated by the tool.

The bore 320 in the neck 290 provides accommoda't'ion for the rip cord322, the latter being provided with a ring 324' accessible from aposition inside the tank.

Wi-thout: further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate myinvention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1 The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a tnrntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attachi-ng-means fordetachably connecting the ta with said turntable and controllable from aio'n inside the. tank for disconnecting the from the turntable, meansfor imparting vertic movement to said turntable to lift the tank to aposition inside said aircraft body or to project the tank through saiddoor opening and to a position outside the aircraft body, and manuallyactuated means accessible from a position inside said tank andoperatively connected with said turntable for rotating the latter andsaid tank.

2. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a turntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tank with said turntable and controllable froma position inside the tank for disconnecting the latter from theturntable, means for imparting vertical movement to said turntable tolift the tank to a position inside said aircraft body or to projectthetank through said door opening and to a position outside the aircraftbody, manually actuated means accessible from a position inside saidtank and operatively connected with said turntable for rotating thelatter and said tank, said second named means comprising in partrotatably mounted vertical screws having threaded connections with saidturntable, doors slidably mounted on said body to close said dooropening, and screw means operatively connected with said vertical screwsand with the respective doors to respectively open and close the samebefore said tank is projected through said door opening and after thetank has been brought to a position inside said body.

3. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a turntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tank with said turntable and controllable froma position inside the tank for disconnecting the latter from theturntable, means for imparting vertical movement to said turntable tolift the 4- tank to a position inside said aircraft body or to projectthe tank through said door opening and to a position outside theaircraft body, manually actuated means accessible from a position insidesaid tank and operatively connected with said turntable for rotating thelatter and said tank, said second named means comprising in partrotatably mounted vertical screws having threaded connections with saidturntable, doors slidably mounted on said body to close said dooropening, screw means operatively connected with said vertical screws andwith the respective doors to re-; spectively open and close the samebefore said tank is projected through said door opening and after thetank has'bee'n brought to a position in- 7 side said body, latchesforjsaid doors in their open positions, and means actuated throughvertical movement of said turntable when in predetermined lowered andraisedpositions for bringing said latches into door holding positionsand door releasing positions, respectively.

4. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a turntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tank with said turntable and controllable froma position inside the tank for disconnecting the latter from theturntable, means for imparting vertical movement to said turntable toliftthe tank to a position inside said aircraft body or to project thetank through said door opening and to a position outside the aircraftbody, manually actuated means accessible from a position inside saidtank and operatively connected with said turntable for rotating thelatter and said tank, said attaching means comprising pins carried bysaid turntable, and clamp devices mounted on said tank and detachablyconnected with the respective pins.

5. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a turntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tank with said turntable and controllablefroma position inside the tank for disconnecting the latter from theturntable, means for imparting vertical movement to said turntable tolift the tank to a position inside said aircraft body or to project thetank through said door opening and to a position outside the aircraftbody, manually actuated'means accessible from a position inside saidtank and operatively connected-with said turntable for rotating thelatter and said tank, and power operated means for actuating said secondmentioned means.

6. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a turntable guided for vertical movement insidesaid aircraft body above said door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tank with said turntable and controllable froma position inside the tank for disconnecting the latter from theturntable, means for imparting vertical movement to said turntable tolift; the tank to a position inside said aircraft body or to project thetank through said door opening and 'to a position outside'the aircraftbody, manually actuated means accessible from a position inside saidtank and operatively connected with said turntable for rotating thelatter and said tank, said second mentioned means including rotatablymounted vertical screws having threaded connection with said turntable,two sliding doors for said door opening, door operating screwsoperatively connected with said vertical screws, operating connectionsbetween the respective doors and said door operating screws, and meansactuated through raising and lowering of the tumtable for latching andunlatching said two doors in their opened and closed positions,respectively.

'7. The combination of an aircraft body having a door opening in thebottom thereof, a tank, a

, turntable guided for vertical movement inside said aircraft body abovesaid door opening, attaching means fordetachably connecting the tankwith said turntable and controllable from a post; tion inside the tankfor disconnecting the latter from the turntable, means for impartingvertical movement to said turntable to lift the tank to a positioninside said aircraft body or to project the tank through said dooropening and to a position outside the aircraft body, manually actuatedmeans accessible from a position inside said tank and operativelyconnected with said turntable for rotating the latter and said tank,vertical guide rods for said turntable, and yokes attached'to theturntable and guidingly engagingsaid rods, said second mentioned meansincluding rotatably mounted vertical screws threadedly connected withthe respective yokes.

CLAYTON G. FOGLE.

